Students · Research mentors · Biotechnology

Sanofi Biogenius Canada

A research project could take a student beyond the classroom and into the work of discovery.

PIR’s role in a national research competition

Sanofi Biogenius Canada was a national biotechnology research competition for secondary students. It gave participants an opportunity to undertake university-level projects with research mentors and present their findings to scientific judges.

The competition began in 1993, before PIR’s management period. PIR’s reports and program materials from 2014–2018 document its role in managing the competition and supporting a national research experience for young people.

The 2015 Executive Director Report records that the Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada name changed to Sanofi Biogenius Canada in September 2014, accompanied by new branding and program communications.

From a question to a research presentation

1. Develop a project: students identified a research question and prepared a project outline.
2. Work with a mentor: participants conducted research with guidance from a researcher and access to an appropriate research setting.
3. Present the findings: students shared their projects at regional competitions across Canada.
4. Advance through the competition: regional winners competed nationally, and the national winner could represent Canada at the International BioGENEius competition.

A dated picture of participation

The 2014 Executive Director Report records 169 student project proposals and 130 competing projects for the September 2013–August 2014 competition year. These are project figures for that reporting period, not a lifetime participant total.

The same report describes a national competition in Ottawa held in conjunction with the Partners In Research National Awards, bringing student research and the work of established researchers into a shared celebration.

Examples from the historical record

• Nicole Ticea · 2014: PIR’s 2014 report identifies her as the national champion for a project investigating a microfluidic point-of-care approach to HIV diagnosis.
• Tasnia Nabil · 2017: the annual report profiles the Canadian winner and international runner-up, whose research with Dr. Allison Allan explored ferromagnetic nanoparticle therapy and modelling.
• Sajeev Kohli · 2018: a later update in the annual report profiles the Canadian winner’s work on a drug-delivery approach aimed at reducing side effects in cancer treatment.

These examples describe student research projects reported at the time. They illustrate the opportunity to investigate a substantial question with scientific mentorship.

Research as a learning experience

The competition complemented PIR’s wider educational work. VROC brought researchers into classroom conversations, while PIR Live Events allowed many schools to share a research discussion. Sanofi Biogenius Canada offered a more sustained, project-based experience.